On a spring night in 1912, more than fifteen hundred people lost their lives on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic.
On a spring day in 2012, two teen boys stumble into the past and onto Titanic.
Fourteen year old Kade West has been fascinated with all things Titanic since he was a young boy. But when a trip to an Artifact Exhibition tosses him through time to the decks of the unsinkable ship, all Kade wants is to escape before the ship carries him to the bottom of the icy Atlantic.
Thirteen year old Simon Sharpe has been a history buff since before he could read. For Simon it’s a dream come true to be traveling through time, living history, and falling for a girl for the first time... if only none of those events were happening aboard a doomed ocean liner.....
MY REVIEW
I must say that even though this book is aimed at children I still enjoyed reading it. I would have loved this as a child and I know my daughter would have loved this book at a younger age too.
Sure it has some facts and figures about the Titanic in it, as well as descriptions of what the Titanic would have looked like in its era. It also has the relationship between the two boys that are transported back in time to being on the Titanic. Kade is kind of a rough, trouble causer labelled boy, where Simon is the good boy or geek/nerd of the class. So it is amusing when the coach who is leading the school trip pair them up. I think that Coach Haber is hoping that geeky good boy simon will keep Kade from causing trouble and getting into things he shouldn't. It doesn't work quite like that as when Kade goes off on his own "tour" in the museum simon is kind of dragged along, which is why they are both somehow transported back to the Titanic. The book also deals with class systems in the Titanic era as well as in the present day. The fact that Kade and Simon are the same age, yet when it came to life boats Simon (a passenger) with his parents was allowed to board a lifeboat with his mother and yet Kade the same age is set to work with not a thought to his safety. Kade was not put on the lifeboat as because he was working class he was considered "a man" at a younger age. Kade in the present day is in his own way fighting to prove he is grown up and a man, yet after his experience on the Titanic he realises that " the grass is not greener on the other side". In other words he should enjoy being a kid and not rush to grow up to be a man so quickly.
I enjoyed the fact we saw both sides of the ship, the posh, upper class,opulent, passengers side and the poorer lower class workers side.
This book is so well written, it flows easily and I found myself wondering what would happen next and would the two boys get back to the present day or actually die on the Titanic!
The two boys also face the difficult decision of "should they try to change history?"
You will have to read the book to find out what actually happens. I loved the inclusion of the kennels, as I have found that the animals on the great ship are rarely mentioned.
I would say this book would appeal to both boys and girls alike. I would definitely recommend it, I could also imagine it been read in schools at "story time" to perhaps younger children. especially as its the 100 years since the tragedy.
I also wish to add that how the book ended suggests that Kade and Simon may have further Adventures coming up. I would certainly keep an eye out for more!
Available Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk £2.62 buy for the children for Easter now! (Its healthier than all that chocolate)
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